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A new safety feature being developed by Nissan Motor Co. causes a car's gas pedal to lift by itself to alert the driver of a possible collision.

That new technology, shown to reporters this week, combines radar sensors and a computer system to judge a car's speed and the distance to the vehicle in front.

When the car senses a possible head-on crash, the gas pedal automatically rises against the driver's foot as a signal to step on the brake.

If sensors detect a possible collision ahead, the brake automatically kicks in when the driver lifts his or her foot off the gas.

A buzz also goes off in what Nissan engineers tentatively dubbed the "magic bumper."

Skeptics may see the technology as obtrusive, perhaps even risky, given that some drivers may prefer to rely on their own reflexes.

But Nissan says the magic bumper is helpful because research has shown that more than half of traffic accidents are caused by inattention, drowsiness and carelessness, rather than error in judgment and or illegalities such as speeding and drunken driving.

It's a safety feature that comes in particularly handy on congested roads, the Japanese auto maker said.

Senior manager Yousuke Akatsu hopes to offer the feature in about two or three years in Japan, and also aims to offer it in the United States and Europe, although no plans have been set.

The technology is part of the Tokyo-based company's larger effort to create the accident-proof car. So far, Nissan offers cruise control, warnings for cars veering off lanes and a system that helps drivers brake harder in emergencies.

Also shown in a demonstration at a facility near Tokyo was a car-navigation monitor that uses digital cameras lodged in the front and back of the car, as well as in the sideview mirrors, to show a computer-graphic bird's eye view of the car.

The AVM, or "around view monitor," shows what's surrounding the car from all around, putting together photo images from the cameras to help drivers steer into tight parking spots - very useful in a crowded country like Japan.

Commercial plans for the feature are still undecided, according to Nissan.

Nissan officials demonstrated a paint job offered in Japan that fixes itself of slight scratches caused by car-washing, off-road driving or fingernails. To speed up the repair of the elastic resin, which works like a rubbery surface, hot water was poured on a surface after it was scraped with a bristled metal brush.

All these features are part of the ongoing competition among major automakers around the world to attract buyers, and the fancy ones still tend to come in expensive models.

From Toyota Motor Corp. is Intelligent Parking Assist system, in which the car parks by itself - even if the driver has no hands on the steering wheel - calculating from its built-in computer, steering sensor and a tiny camera in the rear the proper route into a parking spot.

U.S. automaker General Motors Corp. has said it plans to make electronic stability control standard on all of its light-duty trucks by 2010. Ford Motor Co. has shown an experimental inflatable seat belt that deploys inside the shoulder belt in a crash, adding protection to the chest.

TOKYO (15 March, 2006) – In its ongoing efforts to improve traffic safety, Nissan Motor Co., Ltd., today announced the development of Distance Control Assist System, an electronic system that helps drivers control the distance between themselves and the vehicle in front.

The new system is especially useful in heavy traffic when frequent braking is required.

The system is able to determine the following distance of the driver, as well as the relative speed of both cars, using a radar sensor installed in the front bumper. If the driver releases the accelerator pedal or is not pressing the accelerator pedal, the system automatically applies the brakes.1 If the system determines that braking is required, an indicator will appear on the instrument panel and a buzzer will sound simultaneously. The accelerator pedal will then automatically move upwards to assist the driver in switching to the brakes.

The Distance Control Assist System is the latest innovation developed under Nissan’s Safety Shield2 concept, and accident prevention and management approach based on the idea of "vehicles that help protect people".

Active Cruise Control (ACC) uses a three-beam radar sensor to monitor the road ahead of the car and to adjust the speed of the vehicle by slowing the engine or by gently applying the brakes.

Note: Active Cruise Control is commonly referred to in automotive technology as Adaptive Cruise Control.

Unlike conventional cruise control systems, BMW's ACC system is actually able to adjust the car's speed to suit the surrounding traffic conditions.

Suddenly a car blocks your path. What happens next?

The system uses a three-beam radar sensor. This electronic eye monitors the road ahead of the car - up to 120 meters. When a car appears in the lane ahead - as in the above picture - the system calculates its location, movement and relative speed, using the reflected radar waves. The system is able to recognize whether a particular vehicle is occupying the lane ahead. As soon as the car ahead changes lanes again, your vehicle picks up speed again, accelerating to the same constant speed as before. ACC adjusts your car's speed to the changing flow of the surrounding traffic.

If a vehicle is detected in the lane ahead, the ACC system adjusts the speed of the vehicle by slowing the engine or by gently applying the brakes, and then holds the appropriate constant distance. The driver is able to choose between three different settings for constant distance.
Here's how it works:

The radar eye of ACC recognizes moving vehicles up to 120m ahead, using three overlapping radar beams. These beams reflect off the vehicles ahead. Sensors pick up the reflection and the system immediately calculates whether the car's speed needs to be adjusted, or if the road ahead is clear.

Here's a sample block diagram for an adaptive system:

Active Cruise Control is not limited simply to using data from its radar sensors. Other sensors in the chassis control system - such as ABS, ASC+T or DSC - constantly send data on wheel revolutions and levels of vehicle pitch and centrifugal force to the central on-board computer. On the basis of the car's current path and the data supplied, the computer is able to calculate the approaching curve path.

The computer then compares the current path with the position of the vehicle ahead and can determine whether the curve ahead could effect the vehicle's path. In this case, ACC reduces the speed accordingly. Application of the brake or accelerator immediately deactivates the ACC system. To re-activate ACC, you simply call up the previously set speed and turn ACC on again.

In the case of applying the accelerator when ACC is activated, the car will accelerate as normal, simply going over the ACC pre-set speed. When the accelerator is released, the ACC again holds the car to the pre-set speed. So, braking de-activates ACC, but accelerating does not.

The sensors effectively regulate speed and constant distance when the car is traveling above 30 km/h. For any speed slower than this, an expanded sensor system is needed to detect the area directly in front of the car.

When driving up-hill, it can be necessary to change into a lower gear. ACC does this automatically. The same applies when driving down-hill: through automatic application of the brakes, speed is held constant. In order to reduce brake wear, ACC is able to lower the gear. With assistance from engine braking, wheel brake wear is minimized.

ACC is able to function properly in poor weather conditions, such as rain or light snow, because BMW has built-in heaters in the radar sensor apparatus. In conditions of very poor visibility, such as heavy rain or fog, or in the case of slippery roads, the system should be switched off. In such cases, only the driver is able to accurately judge the situation and react accordingly.
BMW advises against using ACC in fog or situations of poor visibility. The driver needs to be completely responsible and should not place all responsibility onto the system. The driver must always drive in a manner appropriate to the weather conditions.

The automatic constant distance control influences the chosen speed, depending on the traffic flow. It's effective across the whole range from 30 km/h to 180 km/h.

On an open road, the system functions like a conventional cruise control. In heavier traffic, however, the constant distance control is activated and the speed of the car is adjusted, depending on the speed of the cars ahead.

ACC was designed not only for use on the freeway. It can also be used on secondary or tertiary roads. However, potential problems arise on roads that are extremely winding.

Winding Roads

The ACC functions at its best on freeways and highways. On roads that are more winding, it is possible that the sensors' beams will lose contact with the vehicle ahead. In order to prevent the car from accelerating to the pre-set speed when this happens and, for example, coming too close to the car ahead, the ACC system calls up data from other electronic systems in the car.

For instance, the Dynamic Stability Control system provides data on the centrifugal forces and degree of yaw, as the car rounds the bend. These two values can then be used to calculate how tight the curve is and how much the pre-set speed needs to be adjusted to maintain a constant distance. Active Cruise Control changes the car's speed to suit the flow of surrounding traffic, and maintains a constant distance, which is chosen by the driver from three distance options. The system can lower speed by reducing engine speed or by gently applying the brakes.

ACC is designed for flowing traffic and adjusts the speed according to that. That means that non-moving objects, such as vehicles in a traffic jam, are not picked up by the system.

If the car ahead happens to brake suddenly, the driver has to apply the brakes. And because the radar beams are cone-shaped, and thus not very wide directly ahead of the car, the driver needs to be aware of other vehicles that pull out suddenly in front.

In contrast to conventional cruise control systems, ACC holds the speed steady when going downhill. This is because it's linked to the brake system, and even the gears. If necessary, ACC will change to a lower gear in downhill driving to minimize wear on the brakes and ensure that a constant distance is always kept.

Nissan officials demonstrated a paint job offered in Japan that fixes itself of slight scratches caused by car-washing, off-road driving or fingernails. To speed up the repair of the elastic resin, which works like a rubbery surface, hot water was poured on a surface after it was scraped with a bristled metal brush.

But I can see this not working at all around here in LA since we will be bumper to bumper in traffic anyway and not giving enough of a buffer as normal. I assume the buzzer would drive us mad.